For Argument's Sake: Previewing the Michigan-Indiana football game

Michael Rothstein: Finally, Big Ten season is here. Took long enough. Of course, for Michigan, opening with Indiana could feel like playing another MAC team. The Hoosiers, and I've said this all week, are a paper 3-0. They could have easily lost two games, including to FCS Eastern Kentucky and MAC school Western Michigan, a team Michigan throttled in the opener. Speed-wise, most of their players looked comparable to Western, which bodes well for Michigan. The Hoosiers' best chance is if Indiana's two fine defensive ends, Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew, can get to Tate Forcier. I just don't know if I see that happening enough to make a difference.

Dave Birkett: You're right about Indiana being a soft 3-0. The one win you didn't mention, last week against Akron, came two days after the Zips' starting quarterback was kicked off the team. Indiana hasn't beat Michigan in the last 15 tries and hasn't won in Ann Arbor since 1967. I don't see that changing. But I do think we'll learn a lot about Michigan this week. Kirlew and Middleton are good players, and Michigan's juggled its offensive line because of injuries. We'll see how deep the Wolverines are up front, how Forcier responds to the only sub-par game of his career, and we'll see if Michigan has solved any of the defensive issues that allowed Eastern Michigan to hang around for a half last week and double Michigan's time of possession.

MR: That's another, underrated area where Indiana could bite Michigan is run defense. That was an issue the past two weeks. Didn't surprise me much against Notre Dame because teams focus so much on the pass, but Eastern's main thing was running the ball, and they still did it pretty effectively in spurts. That might go to depth on the defensive front since the Wolverines can't substitute much. But considering Indiana is another team that really wants to run, a stout performance would show a lot considering the next two weeks. This could be a game where Will Campbell becomes more involved. I'm also curious to see how Jordan Kovacs handles an entire game. It's not official, but considering Mike Williams was in that red jersey Wednesday, I'm thinking you might see a bunch of Kovacs. If he is on the same side as Boubacar Cissoko, does Indiana junk its plan and try to exploit that? While these are questions, I still don't think it'll be much of an issue when it comes to the final score.

DB: If Williams is healthy but less than 100 percent, I might hold him out anyway. That's how confident I am in Michigan. Or should I say, how little I think of Indiana. Ditto Brandon Minor. I wouldn't have played or practiced him last week if that high ankle sprain was acting up. I would have saved him for the Big Ten. Michigan's going to need all its ammo to survive the conference. I know you don't think a ton of the league and neither do I. There aren't any elite teams, at least. But for that reason I think Michigan can make some noise in conference, they just can't afford a slip up against the Hoosiers.

MR: I agree with you on Williams, especially because Michigan can work Vlad Emilien in a little bit, too, just to get him some experience along with Kovacs. Remember, there was a point before the season where it looked like Emilien would be the guy ahead of Williams. That can only help with depth down the road in the secondary. I'd play Minor, even if it is just 10 carries or so if he's healthy. I'd do it just so he can keep his rhythm and a feel because Michigan will need him the next two weeks, for sure. Also, this could finally be the game - and I feel like I'm sounding like an iPod set to repeat here - where Vincent Smith gets some first-half carries. This is the perfect game to get him involved, at home, not a ton of pressure and against a team very susceptible to the run. Because I doubt Rodriguez wants to throw him in during any meaningful time at Michigan State or Iowa. As for what happens, I think Michigan gets up early, balances the run and pass a little bit and rests some guys in the fourth quarter. Same score prediction as last week: Michigan 45, Indiana 10.

DB: I'd like to see a little more Denard Robinson early. When Forcier went down for a time with bruised ribs last week, I heard Michigan's fan base take a collective gasp. Robinson can play, but he's still raw. Michigan needs him sharp, even if it's only as a Wildcat option, to be a player in the Big Ten race. As for the game, I don't expect Michigan to struggle with much of anything, either. I look for Brandon Graham to get his first sack, then take most of the second half off as the Wolverines cruise, 38-10, and turn their attention to Michigan State.